ICQ 2000 alpha

Apparently, ICQ has made an alpha version of its newest ICQ software, ICQ 2000a, available to the general public.

If you are feeling brave, and want to weather the storm of pre-beta software, check it out on the ICQ website.

Thanks to PDadd for the link.

ROB'S OPINION
I tried to download the alpha version but for some reason it wouldn't go. Guess I'll have to try later. Perhaps I'm one of the lucky ones ;)

I haven't been to the ICQ site in a while and was interested to see that there are Java and Palm versions of ICQ. You can check out all the versions on the ICQ download page.

It looks like ICQ will be adding features such as Internet telephony, chatting with other users on the same website you are on (a la Gooey and others), and integrating with Internet Relay Chat (IRC). The perfect complement to ICQ would be to make it open-source and let it get out onto the UNIX platforms as well. Why no Linux version either? Am I just missing something?

What do Linux users use for Instant Messaging? Let the curious know. I guess they could use the Java version, but I bet that might not be satisfactory.